History of The Bladder & Bowel Community
On January 11th, 1989, a small gathering of like-minded individuals met at St Pancras Hospital, London. This group comprised of eight healthcare professionals, six people with continence problems, two informal carers and one representative of the continence care industry. They suggested three aims for this new team to work toward:
- Provide practical advice and support for patients.
- Create a public awareness of the problems.
- Campaign for more recognition and adequate services.
And thus, National Action on Incontinence (NAOI) was born.
Formation of the Bladder and Bowel Foundation June 2008
The charity was officially formed in June 2008 and launched on 15th September 2008. It incorporated the objectives and missions of two charities, Incontact and the Continence Foundation, which closed in May 2008.
The Bladder and Bowel Foundation (B&BF) has been the UK’s largest, non-profit making, advocacy charity providing help, information and support for people with bladder and bowel problems. Unfortunately, the charity was forced to close in 2016.
September 2016 – A New Beginning for the Bladder and Bowel Community
With B&BF officially closing its doors on July 22nd, 2016, it looked likely that this vital, community-driven support network would disappear forever.
Determined not to let this happen, we stepped in, securing the funding to form the Bladder & Bowel Community Support Network. Thankfully we managed to secure the website in order to maintain the community that plays host to over one million visitors each year.
Today, bladder and bowel conditions are becoming more prevalent, not only in adults but also children. There are 6.5 million people affected by some form of bowel condition in the UK and an estimated 14 million living with a form of bladder problem. This community lacks a voice given the tabooed nature of our medical issues. It is the ultimate aim of this Community to create a space in which the concerns and experiences of our users can be heard and translate this into public awareness.
The new, impartial, independent Bladder & Bowel Community has one focus – you.
The Bladder and Bowel Community now operates as an enterprise and our new team is completely dedicated to working for our community. We want to become the number one place for support, whilst also raising much-needed awareness, not just about the medical issues associated with bladder and bowel conditions, but how it impacts our lives. We also aim to educate the wider community so our conditions can be better understood.
Our mission is to continue to support and empower the community in the following ways:
- By giving you the tools and information you need to live a healthy lifestyle- such as nutritional advice, fitness tips and delicious recipes!
- Maintaining a library of information about each condition that affects our community.
- Keeping you up to date with the goings on and upcoming events in our community.
- Making sure you’re kept posted with new and exciting developments at The Bladder and Bowel Community.